Citrus scrapings

Latest answer — September 28, 2026

52 Down

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Clue explained

Zests are the thin, flavorful outer scrapings of citrus fruit. The plural answer matches “scrapings.”

Clue type:
Definition
A grater producing fine zest from the peel of a lemon.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Monday, September 28, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Lip applications
  2. 6Went sideways on a slick road, say
  3. 10"Take it ___ the top!"
  4. 14Choose
  5. 15"Je t'___"
  6. 16Double Dutch need
  7. 17Reaction to a ghost story, perhaps
  8. 19"Oh, sure"
  9. 20"I've ___ nothing to hide"
  10. 21"Same here!"
  11. 22How FreeCell is usually played
  12. 23Org. that regulates herbicides
  13. 24"What did I tell you?!"
  14. 25Place of respite
  15. 27Doormat residue, perhaps
  16. 29Dress shorts fold
  17. 31Fourth-year students (Abbr.)
  18. 32www.tulane.___
  19. 33___ Bo
  20. 34Some ICU workers
  21. 36Green veggies whose tips are often snapped off
  22. 40Home to the Dubai Fountain, for short
  23. 41Org. with Schedules A, B and C
  24. 42Prefix meaning "one"
  25. 44"when will u arrive?"
  26. 47"Same here!"
  27. 49Rears
  28. 51Painted Desert state
  29. 53Currency in MN
  30. 56Transcript stat
  31. 57Fire engine feature
  32. 58Alpine lake near Incline Village
  33. 60Shawn's best friend on "Psych"
  34. 61Maple tree inserts
  35. 62Informal surveys
  36. 64Showbiz feat involving four awards
  37. 65___ Ness monster
  38. 66The things here
  39. 67Burgundy and scarlet, e.g.
  40. 68"Play Dirty" star Salazar
  41. 69Garden tubes

Down

  1. 1Sought a dog treat, say
  2. 2Fried pastry filled with potatoes
  3. 3Outfits worn by Hezly Rivera
  4. 4Award show hosts
  5. 5Strawberry discards
  6. 6Vessel used for deglazing
  7. 7Ride booked by a concierge, perhaps
  8. 8Be a bad guest, say
  9. 9___ Moines Symphony
  10. 10Unnecessary extra
  11. 11Roombas, e.g.
  12. 12First game of the season
  13. 13Long jump units
  14. 18Insect that might have a pollen basket
  15. 22Cigna competitor
  16. 26Long-eared hoppers
  17. 28Dance recital skirt
  18. 30The real deal
  19. 33Bit of cross-promotion
  20. 35Deliberately ignore
  21. 37Heaviest naturally occurring noble gas
  22. 38Kerfuffle
  23. 39Curls up with a sweetheart
  24. 43Sudden urge
  25. 44Holiday with chocolate bunnies
  26. 45Prioritize by urgency
  27. 46Certain earbud
  28. 48Piece of body art
  29. 50Talks back to
  30. 52Citrus scrapings
  31. 54Pig farm matriarch
  32. 55Pond measurement
  33. 59Shuttlecock paths
  34. 62Nikon F3, for one
  35. 63"Well, looky here!"

The answer to “Citrus scrapings” in the USA Today crossword is ZESTS — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 28, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 52-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Citrus scrapings” answer

ZESTS (5 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is ZESTS.

What does ZESTS mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of ZESTS is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • great enthusiasm and energy
  • the outer coloured part of the peel of citrus fruit, used as flavouring

When else has “Citrus scrapings” appeared?

USA Today reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

September 28, 2026 (most recent) → ZESTS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Citrus scrapings”?

The answer is ZESTS, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Citrus scrapings”?

5 letters: ZESTS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 28, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 52-Down.

Can “Citrus scrapings” have a different answer?

Yes — USA Today sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's USA Today answers?

The full grid for September 28, 2026 is on the USA Today answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

USA Today Crossword is published by USA Today; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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